ClutchFans Game Thread: Lakers @ Rockets 12/12/2006

i've been scouring the Lakers forums, and i loved this post by a lakers fan in response to another lakers fan saying they don't need to triple or even double team Yao

Bynum wrote:
They don't need to double team him.

dontel:
if youre referring to yao, in that case, 60 points is inevitable to him.

 

dontel is Rockets fan

 

this will be close but i thnk the rockets want to prove to everyone and themselves that this is a new and improved team and they can win without TMAC...
rockets win 100-98

 

seriously guys, we need to give Yao more credit which he deserved. Tmac was a great player when he's on the team, but this season's Tmac isn;t what he used to be two years ago. he has been shooting with very poor percentage.

The key to win this game is to have a reliable teammate passing the ball constantly inside to Yao. If lakers try not to double team Yao in the beginning we need to seize that opportunity and get Yao touches as much as possible. Once they start double teaming Yao we need to rain down the 3.

This game will depend on the rest of the rockets. Yao will be Yao and get his pts and touches but someone else will need to step up big time for tmac. hopefully bonzi will shine thru.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2695188

T-Mac out indefinitely with bad back!

HOUSTON -- Rockets star Tracy McGrady is out indefinitely with back spasms and was scratched from Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 6-foot-8 forward missed 35 games last season with back problems, and coach Jeff Van Gundy said Tuesday he did not know how long McGrady will be sidelined this time.

Luther Head will make his first start of the season in McGrady's place, Van Gundy said. Head is averaging 9.8 points and is Houston's most accurate 3-point shooter (50.5 percent).

McGrady, a six-time All-Star, hurt his back midway through the fourth quarter of Saturday's game against Washington. He scored 28 points before leaving the court and limping to the locker room.

Van Gundy said Bonzi Wells might play Tuesday night after sitting out the last month. Wells signed a two-year, $5 million contract, but Van Gundy acknowledged Monday the two have "struggled to find common ground" since Wells arrived at training camp.

Van Gundy said Wells would play against the Lakers "if I think it's in the best interest of the team."

"I'm not going to focus a lot of my attention on his situation," Van Gundy said. "If it works, it works, it's going to be great. If it doesn't, it doesn't."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

 

if the score is like 41-35 at halftime thats great for us...goin into 4th if its like 68 to 59 lakers we will for sure lose, personally if we can keep it a slow pace and somehow control kobe a lil bit and keep our offense up by shooting a high % and not brickin a bunch of 3s i can see us winning 81-78

 

where's the offense when yao sits? i guess it could be howard/battier/alston, not a pretty picture.

i hope we will start the first quarter strong like the dallas game, and then play crazy defense to maintain the 12 points lead through out the game.

1Q: 30-20
2Q: 14-16 (deke time)
3q: 22-18
4Q: 15:22

final: 81:76 both teams shoot below 35%

 

If the Lakers play good defense and clamp down late in the game like they did against the Spurs, we will have a very hard time winning tonight. The Spurs game brought me around to believing the Lakers are a for real home court contender in the WC.

 

I'm going to make a prediction right here: Head goes for 21 points on 4-9 on threes, and Alston goes for 15 points with 11 assists.

Yao is a given, but those two are the key. Shane will be important in his defensive assignment on Kobe or Lamar, so his offensive output will be limited. But if Head doesn't score above 18-20 points, I don't see how we can win this game.

 

After the winning over Spurs, Lakers will be too relaxed. I say Rockets win by about 10pts.

 

Lakers lost to NOK recently. The game is winnable even without TMac. Battier should be able to slow Kobe down and VSp or Wells stand up.

Rox:101
Lakers:96

 

Let's have a 10 minutes black out at the last quarter, so yao have enough time to rest and re-energize, then we can beat lakers easily, just like last game

 

Lakers 97
Rockets 91

Lakers win, Kobe and Odom goes off, Yao has big game but not big enough in the absence of T-Mac.

And I also cover 184 points..

 

It's times like this I'm glad I live in LA (so I can watch the game)

Lakers looked really good beating the Spurs at home so they have alot going for them right now. However, I am pulling for the Rockets.

Yao is a beast! Go Houston!!!!

 

Yao will shoot the lights out in 4th quarter. I am serious.

 

I think there is very little chance that Bozi will see the floor unless Rockets are getting killed at the wing position and have no hope to win the game. But knowing JVG, if these happen it is still a long shot.

 

This is what is worrying me match up wise. Shane gives up 3 inches to Odom so regardless of his defensive prowess he is gonna have a hard time guarding him. Kobe is gonna get his but if we double team him we turn him into the a playmaker also. If Bonzi doesn't play we have no one with size to match up with the LA wings. Stay tuned folks its gonna be a nail biter.

Yao > Brown (not even close)
Hayes < Walton
Battier < Odom
Head < Kobe
Alston > Parker

Rox: 92
LA: 90

-first overtime game of the season.
Yao will go for thirty again and both Bynum and Brown will have 5+ fouls.

 

doubt bonzi worths 5 now

 

Head is gonna explode and score 30+ points!!!

 

okay...